I'll be your eyes, and I'll be your legs. (Jayfeather/Briarlight)
This will be updated AT LEAST once every week. Chapter One "Jayfeather!" Called a hyper Briarlight. Jayfeather always slept in, but it was fun to wake him, even though he snapped at her, but today she had a more special reason. "Great Starclan! Can't a tom get some sleep?" He hissed. Briarlight wasn't affected by this, though, and crawled her way over to Jayfeather, who was now trying to sort herbs. "Jayfeather!" she mewed, her voice high with excitement. "What?" Jayfeather grumbled. He glared at Briarlight, and his clear eyes seemed to stare through Briarlight's. "Ugh, I thought you would remember!" Briarlight playfully grumbled."Today is the day Blossomfall's kits were to be born!" Jayfeather's head snapped up in alert. "Please bring her to me." He meowed. Briarlight nodded, and crawled out of the den and to the Warrior's den. Jayfeather stopped what he was doing, and actually put thought into Blossomfall's kits. How would they feel with no father, and two mothers? Blossomfall had kits with a rouge named Sun, but he died a few days after she learned she was expecting. The whole clan knew, but there were still some whispers every now and then. Jayfeather grumbled as his thoughts trailed to Ivypool. She was Blossomfall's new mate, but still, Jayfeather always wondered how two cats of the same gender could be mates. He shrugged, and turned to the den entrance when a shriek sounded. Chapter Two (Sorry for forgetting!) Jayfeather rushed towards the nursery, where Briarlight was looking at her sister in shock, and Ivypool's eyes were wide as she entered the den. Jayfeather grumbled. "Get Alderheart! NOW!" He snapped, and Ivypool nodded, rushing to Alderheart, who was talking to Squirrelflight, who was still on her leg brace after the landslide that had killed Leafpool. Jayfeather sighed as he began to push on Blossomfall's flank. "Stay calm." He urged, yet anxiety was in his voice. "It'll be over soon, stay still." Blossomfall nodded, and winced. "A kit's coming!" Jayfeather meowed in delight and fear. He pushed on her stomach, and helped the kit be born. (A few hours later.) Jayfeather relaxed as Briarlight licked the final kit. "What are their names?" Briarlight asked. Blossomfall smiled. "I was thinking Graykit for this one, after my father." she said, lapping at a fluffy gray tom-kit's pelt. Briarlight smiled, and Jayfeather felt a surge of happiness. Ivypool smiled and licked Blossomfall's forehead. "And this is Rainkit." Ivypool said, smiling as she nuzzled a tiny white she-kit with gray spots. "And this one, we both decided." Blossomfall smiled as she licked a small, white tom-kit's head. "He's the littlest." Ivypool said, smiling. Blossomfall nodded. "And this is Darkkit." she said. Briarlight smiled. "A perfect name." Chapter Three It had been two moons since Blossomfall's kitting, and already they were making a big mess. "Ugh!" Jayfeather grumbled. "Rainkit, go play with Graykit and Darkkit or something!" Jayfeather growled at the little kit who was rolling in his organized leaf pile. "But Darkkit's so boring, and Graykit's busy! Darkkit only wants to talk with the elders and hears stories." "That's not an excuse." Jayfeather mumbled, "Now go." An hour later, Briarlight walked in. "Watcha doing?" She asked, and Jayfeather sighed, turning his blind gaze on the paralyzed cat. "Sorting leaves. What do you want?" He muttered. Brairlight dragged herself up to him and plopped on the ground right next to the gray and blind medicine cat. "Great Starclan! I just want to talk. I was going to ask, 'Would you like to take a walk with me? I heard Stormcloud talking about a new stem of catmint.' But you don't care." she pouted. Jayfeather sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine, let's go." He grumbled as he got up, and Briarlight extended her front legs as she began to drag herself. "Wow, this sure is a lot of catmint." Jayfeather said as he plucked the leaves from the stem. "I wonder how we didn't know about this before!" He said. Briarlight smiled. "I guess you just didn't /look/ hard enough!" She said as she broke oput into a cry of laughter and Jayfeather rolled his eyes. "Come on, I got enough to last us until, next New Leaf." Briarlight playfully pawed him in the shoulder. "You're no fun!" She mewed as she dragged herself beside Jayfeather. Chapter Four Jayfeather glanced at Briarlight from behind before padding over to his den. He sighed. "Briarlight, can you sort these for me?" He asked. Briarlight nodded, and crawled over to the pile of leaves and began to sort them. Jayfeather grunted his thanks, and walked off into the Elder's den to check Mousefur, Purdy, and Longtail's ticks, but suddenly, a shriek filled the air, and Jayfeather's fur stood on end as he ran to the nursery, Alderheart following shortly behind as he entered camp from the forest. /Odd.../ Jayfeather thought. /Why would Alderheart be in the forest? He has no herbs, so he couldn't have been getting those, and we'll all in stock.../ but he shook his head as he entered the nursery to hear a wailing kit and his mother. "What happened?!" Jayfeather meowed. "I-I... Darkkit a-and Graykit w-were playing but then... but then Darkkit got carried away..." Blossomfall whined in between sobs. Ivypool was nuzzling her softly and licking her ear fur. "It's okay... Jayfeather and Alderheart will help..." she soothed. Jayfeather picked up Graykit in his scruff as Alderheart examined the poor kit. "He's badly injured. This is more than carried away. It looks like an experienced Warrior did this. Look, these scratches look deep, and they're all over his belly, face, and neck... the weakest spots on a cat. He's badly injured, very badly. I'll take him to the medicine den, Jayfeather. Can you stay here and ask Ivypool and Blossomfall and Darkkit what happened?" Jayfeather nodded as he gently placed down the weeping kit ground. Chapter Five "So... you remember, /nothing/?" Jayfeather questions Darkkit, who was sobbing. "I-I... I remember... playing... and then... this." He sniffled. Jayfeather tilted his head. "Okay, thank you, just know you are not in trouble, Darkkit." "But you are...." A she-cat's voiced rasped with the wind. Jayfeather turned his head, but others didn't seem to notice. He shrugged, and sat down next to Ivypool and Blossomfall. "He remembers...nothing." He began. "Odd. What you remember?" He asked Blossomfall and Ivypool. "I-I was asleep..." Blossomfall whined. Ivypool licked her head before turning to the blind, gray, tom. "I was awake. I was watching them, and suddenly Darkkit stopped and collapsed. Graykit prodded him, and Darkkit stood up, but something was off. Then, he leaped onto Graykit and attacked him... something's wrong.." Ivypool sighed. Jayfeather nodded, his blind blue gaze sweeping over the nursery. "I-I must go to the Moonpool." He said suddenly. "Nothing like this has ever happened, and Darkkit seems to not remember... /anything/." He sighed. "I'm going NOW. Tell Alderheart for me." Ivypool nodded and Blossomfall gave a weak, "Okay..." As Jayfeather pressed his nose to the Moonpool, a chill swept along his spine as he fell asleep. Chapter Six (Author Note: The plot point is not gunna always directed towards Jayfeather and Brairlight, bc love lakes time :3 ) Jayfeather rolled his now-seeing eyes as his gaze landed on Yellowfang. Why did /she/ always have to be the one to talk to him? But he let out a sigh and turned to the gray, dirty, scarred she-cat. "You know why I came here." Jayfeather growled, and Yellowfang nodded. "Darkkit is... special.." she sighed sadly. "I can tell you no more than this: Before Destiny is fulfilled, the stars will be silent and dark. One with the shadows will destroy, unless the other two save. That is all, Jayfeather. I'm sorry..." she meowed ominously, but she trembled as she spoke. Jayfeather woke with a start as he remembered the dream almost instantly, his blind blue gaze looking around himself, his pelt prickling. He sighed as his pelt smoothed and he walked away, back to the clan camp. Chapter Seven (REEEEEEEEEEEE I changed the prophecy!) Bramblestar lay on the moss bed below, and an anxious Jayfeather tended to his many wounds. He was dying. "I-It's your last life..." Alderheart whispered beside his father. He turned and saw Squirrelflight, Tawnypelt, and Sparkpelt waiting outside, their pelts dripping with water as they waited in the rain outside. "W-We brought Tawnypelt as soon as we could." Squirrelflight stammered as she shook her pelt and lay beside Bramblestar. Tawnypelt's eyes darkened. "H-he's going to...?" Jayfeather nodded. "Even I cannot save him." Jayfeather meowed, his voice cracking. Why am I so... sad? He betrayed us with Squirrelflight!N He thought, but a pang of guilt answered him. He didn't know either... It wasn't his fault. And he loved me like a father would. He sighed and turned to Squirreflight. "You must now say your goodbyes." Alderheart spoke, eyes teary. Tawnypelt nodded first. "Bramblestar, you were never a tough fighter," she teased, but her eyes were clouded with sadness. "But really, you were a good brother. You saved Firestar from Hawkfrost, you proved you were not the cat Tigerstar was. You changed so much for our family." she spoke weakly. "You are a good and noble cat." she backed away, tears in her eyes as Sparkpelt spoke. "Father, you were so good to me. When my kits died, t-then you helped me. You knew just how to be a father." she cast a swift glance at Jayfeather before continuing. "You helped me mentor and train them to be the amazing apprentices they are now. I couldn't be more thankful." She blinked at Alderheart, as if she invited him to speak next. "I-I um...uh... dad.. I felt as if you were never proud of me, and I felt like I needed to please you no matter what. But I figured out that you always loved me. But Bramblestar, Father, I am not a noble cat. I am not deserving of your pride." he whispered the last part in his ear, and Jayfeather only heard barely. Alderheart turned to Squirrelflight, "Your turn." he mumbled. Squirrelflight nodded gloomily as she licked Bramblestar's ears. "You were there during the great journey, you were there when I was apprenticed. You were there for me my whole life." she whispered. Bramblestar turned to face her, eyes weary and dark. "I never deserved your love." he murmured, voice raspy. "I didn't trust you when you warned me a-about Hawkfrost...." he rasped. "I hated you when the secret was r-revealed... y-you did it for Leafpool... Your kin... a-and I didn't trust y-you w-with the Sisters. I never deserved your love, o-or leadership." he licked her ear. "I think I finally understand why you did what you did." he murmured as he let out a shallow breath, closed his eyes, and never took another breath again. Chapter Eight Jayfeather mumbled uncertainly beside Briarlight, who was helping sort leaves with him. He felt oddly so-so squeamish, but she was a friend, why would he feel awkward around her? He shrugged and continued to sort the assortment of many leaves. "Jayfeather, I think this one's wilted," she meowed she stuck her muzzle up from the leaves, which had a leaf on it, "Ah-ah-ACHOO!" she sneezed, which sent the leaf flying into Jayfeather's face, causing him to stumble in suprise. Brairlight stared at him and started laughing, and Jayfeather rolled his eyes. But he didn't feel angry towards her like usual. He Almost felt like... laughing as well?? That was certainly odd. "Stupid furball." He snorted and shook the leaf off his face. Brairlight was about to hiss another stinging retort when Squirrelstar entered the medicine den, with her new deputy, Twigbranch. Choosing Twigbranch as Deputy certainly surprised everyone, as she had kin in Skyclan, and her sister once lived in Shadowclan, but soon cats gradually got to accept it. But instead of her normal happy face, Jayfeather scented fear rising from the gray she-cat deputy's pelt. "What's wrong?" She asked, genuine uncertainty lacing his usually monotone voice. Squirrelflight sighed, and looked down at the ground, shuffling her paws. "I-uh well... I need help. Shadowclan was clearly tense at the last gathering and well..." Jayfeather nodded as the red she-cat spoke. Tigerstar was tense and on guard, and he took everything as some sort of challenge. "Hes acting odd. He just threatened to attack Thunderclan because... apparently we stole herbs and prey? Needletail, the new deputy seemed tense as well." Jayfeather looked up at her, eyes glazed with dim fear. "What?! It's the middle of leaf-bare! He must be mad!" He sighed and muttered, "then prepare for battle. Shadowclan has always been unfair." He cast a look at AlderHeart, and could sense some emotion Jayfeather couldn't fully comprehend. Fear? He shrugged and ignored it. "Then prepare for battle. Are Lavenderpaw, Bushpaw, Ryepaw, Leopardpaw, Darkpaw, Moonpaw, Adderpaw, Graypaw, Featherpaw, and Rainpaw ready for battle?" He asked, listing the long list of apprentices they had in the clan. It turns out Blossomfall wasn't the only queen. Squirrelstar herself had just had another litter, and Twigbranch too. Squirrelstar was a little concerned about raising them without Bramblestar, but she eventually learned. "Yes." Squirrelstars mew broke Jayfeather away from his deep thoughts. "I hope they're ready." she sighed. "I just wish that life in the clans wasnt so risky." Jayfeather eyes widened. Was this how Squirrelstar believed clan life to be? How could that happen? But then he realized he could see, and he didn't see Squirrelflight. "She" was Pinestar. The former leader of Thunderclan. And... father of Tigerclaw. But why show him this? He blinked, and when his eyes opened, he was blind again. Dont let the darkness control those just born.... a voice seemed to whisper in his ear. Dont... A CHALLENGE Hello! Thanks so much to my readers like Wolfleap, Speckledkit, EchoLover123, and Wolfy10! I have a challenge for you all! Whoever can write the best paragraph explaining what Alderheart is doing in the woods alone (Hint: he's not doing anything that follows the code, that's for sure!) WILL get to name Jayfeather and Briarlight's kits, their explanation WILL be made official to this fanfiction, AND their OC will get a VERY special appearance in the fanfiction, and they will get to write a chapter of this fanfiction! So... write, write, write! RULES: No copying, write your paragraph on a page titled "JayXBriar (*Insert your username*)", and be creative! THE WINNERS! Okay, after a LOT (and I mean A LOT) of hard decisions, I have come to a conclusion. I don't. Here is the winner: In 1st place, is Nightmare That Cloaks All Reason. They came in first place for their originality, creativity, and overall story. Your prize is to get to name Jayfeather and Briarlight's kits, your Alderheart paragraph will be made official to this fanfiction, one of your Warrior OCs will get a VERY special appearance in the fanfiction, and you'll will get to write a chapter of this fanfiction (any of these prizes is optional, if you don't want to you don't have to...) In 2nd Place is Echolover123. She came in second because her story wasn't just as creative, but it was absolutely amazing and I loved it. Your prize is for one of your OC's to be killed at the hands of a later known EVIL character! You're welcome! (It's actually a big deal bc later on that OC will be something like Mapleshade and Brokenstar combined soooo) and you will get to also create a part 2 prophecy for this prophecy: "Before Destiny is fulfilled, the stars will be silent and dark. One with the shadows will destroy, unless the other two save." and create its meaning. In 3rd place is Wolfy10. She came in third because her story was shorter, a little less descriptive, but it was very creative and definitely original. Your prize is to be able to create a character's death (any character you want, any death you want. You're welcome) also, you get to have one of your characters appear as one of the main villan's sidekicks or henchman or something. Or deputy (like Bone is to Scourge) In 4th place is DJWolfy. I loved the story so much! But it didn't just quite add up to the others! Your story, however, was good, creative, and original. Your prize is to get to be able to choose Darkkit, Graykit, and Rainkit's warrior name! Chapter Nine (Alderheart's Point Of View) Written by Nightmare That Cloaks All Reason Alderheart knew he wasn’t supposed to be there. It was an unspoken rule among the medicine cats that the Moonpool was reserved ''only ''for their half-moon meetings, but here he was. Slightly scared, Alderheart crept forwards, and lapped up a few drops. They tasted like guilt and betrayal. While he was still pondering if he should be here or not, he found himself in StarClan, the water from the Moonpool still on his tongue. There was Needletail, her silver-grey pelt shining with stars, eyes glowing with delight at seeing him once more. He rushed to meet her, and breathed in her scent happily. He had once thought he would never be like this with her. Of course, she had had to die before she realised she felt anything for him at all. “I’ve missed you,” he purred. She smiled back, then stepped away. “You wont believe what has happened... Elderfart.” Maybe once it would have annoyed him that she insisted calling him that dumb nickname, but not anymore. He hadn’t seen her for too long. “Yes?” he asked. She smiled again, and began to walk away, flicking him in the face with her tail. “You’ll have to follow to find out!” she called over her shoulder. He sighed, annoyed, but followed. Needletail was good at making him do what she wanted. Probably because he was in love with her and would blindly follow any orders she gave him. She seemed to be leading him into the pine forests of StarClan. The scent of pine clogged his nose, and the noise of pine needles crunching beneath his paws cloaked his ears. That was probably why he didn’t notice the kits before they were right in front of him. Needletail stopped, and began to purr. She gestured at the three tiny kits. “Say hello to your father, kits.” Alderheart stared at her, disbelieving. She had had his kits? How was that possible? “How, who, uh, I mean...” he stammered in shock. She reached over and closed his gaping mouth with one paw. “Believe me Alderheart,” she murmured. “These are our kits.” He nodded slowly, and his eyes passed over the three. The largest, a dark grey tom, stared up at him with yellow eyes. “Are you Alderheart?” he asked. Alderheart nodded, and the kit turned to his siblings excitedly. “Did you hear that? We’re really meeting ''the ''Alderheart!” The dark ginger tom’s eyes widened, but the smallest kit, a silver tabby she-kit, just snorted. “Yeah, we ''know ''Beetlekit! And Pricklekit, stop being such a wimp.” She put on a smile, and stretched her tiny nose towards Alderheart’s. “Sorry about my brothers,” she murmured. “They’re real mousebrains. I’m Violetkit by the way! That’s Beetlekit,” she pointed at the grey tom. “And that’s Pricklekit.” She flicked her tail at the ginger tom. Alderheart purred. He had a family! Needletail entwined her tail with his. “I wish we could stay here as a family forever,” Alderheart commented. Needletail turned to stare at him. “I forgot to tell you! StarClan only accepts cats that have died already, so Beetlekit, Pricklekit and Violetkit can’t stay here. I need you to take them into the Clan’s. Explain what happened. Please. They need lives.” Alderheart froze. Spending time with them here was nice, but take the kits into the Clans with him? He couldn’t do that. He could lose his role as a medicine cat if he announced he’d taken a dead ShadowClan traitor as a mate and had kits with her. Being a medicine cat meant more to him then having a family. He looked Needletail in the eyes, knowing he was about to add pain to their green depths. “No Needletail. I love you, but my loyalty is to my Clan, not you. These kits are not mine. I will not acknowledge them as my own.” He found himself at the Moonpool once more, and sighed. The meeting with Needletail had ''not ''gone well. Not at all well. He headed back towards camp, knowing he had just doomed his own kits and ruined his love life with Needletail. Chapter Ten Coming Soon